As the Qatar World Cup starts to heat up, security experts have warned fans to remain wary of cybercriminals looking to take advantage of the spectacle.

Check Point Security researchers have noted the volume of phishing campaigns has increased dramatically since the beginning of the World Cup earlier this month.

And with an estimated five billion viewers worldwide expected to tune in during the course of the competition, threat actors have no shortage of potential targets.

Many scams identified by Avanan, a Check Point company, have centred around sports betting, with cybercriminals attempting to lure victims into handing over banking details.

Phishing attacks have also been deployed in a variety of languages during this period, highlighting the expertise and broad capabilities of the threat actors.

Muhammad Yahya Patel, Security Evangelist at Check Point Software, commented: “The World Cup is a time when international communities come together and we shouldn’t be discouraged from participating.

“However, you cannot ignore that cybercriminals will up the ante when they are presented with an opportunity to make a quick cash grab or steal credentials that they can sell on the Dark Web.

“This World Cup has already raised cybersecurity concerns, with many security experts warning the public over data privacy concerns with the official app. This, alongside the influx of phishing scams, means it is important that we take the necessary steps to keep ourselves protected.”

Patel added: “These recent campaigns act as a reminder to scrutinize any emails you receive and take a moment before clicking on a link or handing over your data. By focusing on preventative measures, we can still enjoy events such as the World Cup without the threat of a worrying cyberattack.”

In light of this, Check Point has issued a series of practical tips that will allow fans to focus on the game and not worry about falling prey to hackers.

Avoid Cyber Risks at the Qatar World Cup

“Be aware of imitation”

Many scam websites will use a domain name similar to the brand they are trying to replicate, but with additional letters or misspellings.

To ensure that you are not handing over your banking information to scammers, pay attention to the URLs to check if there is anything unusual or suspicious.

By taking a minute to look for tell-tale signs that a website may be fraudulent, you can quickly determine its legitimacy.

“Never share your credentials”

Credential theft is a common goal of phishing emails. Many people reuse the same usernames and passwords across different accounts, so stealing the credentials for a single account is likely to give an attacker access to others.

Not all attacks are direct either. Some phishing emails carry malware, such as keyloggers or trojans, that are designed to monitor when you type passwords into your computer.

Never tell anyone your password, and, if an email sends you to a login page, visit the site directly and sign in from there to protect against lookalike phishing sites.

“Secure your mobile device”

With most of us now accessing our emails from our phones and with hackers now also sending malicious text messages, it’s important that our mobile devices are protected from the newest threats as well.

Once granted access, a cybercriminal can steal an incalculable amount of information and a breach can even put the victim’s known contacts at risk.

As a result, it is essential to make use of preventative mobile threat defence solutions that protect devices against advanced mobile threats.

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